ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 193 



A Float is necessary, and two Hooks ; one to 

 reach to the Bottom, and the other to keep in Mid- 

 water, and the best Time to follow this Sport is, 

 when the Tide is half spent, and to be continued 

 till within two Hours of High-water; the Morning 

 and Evening are the most preferable Parts of the 

 Day, provided that the Tide shall then happen to 

 favour your Design. 



The Baits which are used generally in Rock- 

 fishing are the Cockle, the Lob, and the Marsh 

 Worms ; but there is another Sort called the Hairy 

 Worm, which is preferable to all the rest, and is so 

 universally beloved by all the Fish, that you need use 

 no other. Hairy Worms, if full grown, are near four 

 Inches long ; they are flat and broad, and resemble 

 an Ear-wig, and are to be found on the Sea-shore, 

 when the Salt-water has left it, especially if the Shore 

 be partly Sand and partly Mud. 



The author warns the angler against a little fish, 

 called the miller's thumb, or the cobbler, which takes 

 his hook and then fastens it in the cleft of a rock ; if 

 this fish is caught, he is rewarded for the performance 

 of this trick by being set at liberty with a piece of 

 stick thrust through his eyes. 



For rock-fishing the angler requires a strong 

 jointed rod, a clearing-ring, a landing-net, a gafif, 

 silks, hooks, lines, wax, etc. 



Only four kinds of fish are usually taken by rock- 

 fishing ; sea-bream, flounders, whiting-pollock, and 

 rock-whiting : 



The Manner of Sea-fishing as used by Gentlemen 

 for Recreation and Pastime, is when they are upon 

 the Sea either in a Boat or Wherry, or else in a Ship. 



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